Joel Ajayi
The Ministry of Youth Development is collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Health to establish a groundbreaking youth health advisory team and task force aimed at addressing the health and social challenges faced by over 70% of the population in Nigeria, who are young people.
The Minister of Youth Development, Dr. Jamila Bio Ibrahim, revealed this while paying a courtesy call to the Hon. Minister of Health and Social Welfare Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate in Abuja.
Jamila emphasized the critical need for the government to recognize that a country with a population consisting of over 70% youth faces a myriad of health and social challenges. “These challenges include mental health, access to healthcare services, drug abuse, and unemployment. The government at all levels needs to develop a comprehensive and targeted health policy specifically designed to address these issues and ensure the well-being of the youth population.”
“The youth health advisory team and task force will consist of highly skilled young Nigerian health professionals and a joint committee will be formed by the two collaborating ministries to facilitate effective collaboration”.
According to her, “The new public health order encompasses a comprehensive roadmap with five pillars, including fortifying national public health institutions, expanding vaccine and diagnostic manufacturing, increasing domestic investment in health, and bolstering the public health workforce, all with a focus on ensuring sustainable health outcomes and security for the youth in Nigeria”, she stated.
Dr. Jamila further underscored Nigeria’s influential role in championing the establishment of the Youth Centre for Disease Control in Africa during the annual International Youth Conference on Public Health in Zambia in 2023 – a visionary proposal that has now become a reality within Nigeria.
The Hon. Minister of Health, Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate, expressed unwavering commitment to working closely with the Ministry of Youth Development and other key stakeholders, including the Nigeria Center for Disease Control (NCDC), to lay the foundation for a resilient health institution that prioritizes youth health advancement strategies in Nigeria.
